Cryoanesthesia, or the localized application of cold as a means of producing regional anesthesia, for non-parenteral relief of pain is an accepted method for treating oral tissue. The basic physiologic effects of cooling tissue may include decreased local metabolism, vasoconstriction, reduced swelling, decreased hemorrhage, and analgesia. The magnitude and/or type of the effect generally depends upon the application method and duration of the treatment. Cryoanesthesia or cryotherapy may be preferred for a variety of indications, including decreasing swelling or bleeding after oral surgery, to treat burns, to reduce inflammation due to allergic reaction, or to reduce pain. Conventionally, cryoanesthesia or cryotherapy involves external application of ice or cold packs to the jaw or face.
Likewise, heat therapy or thermal treatments may be useful for certain conditions of the oral tissue. For example, application of heat may relieve painful muscle spasms or cramping, or the pain of temporomandibular joint disease or headache. As with cryotherapy, heat therapy conventionally involves application of a hot pack or heating pad to the skin of the jaw or face. The conventional methods of applying heat or cold to oral tissue suffer the drawback that the heat or cold must be conducted through the skin and underlying tissue to the oral tissue to be treated.